The Son of Atlas
by Celestial Iron
Summary: Percy, the brother of Zoë and the only male Hesperide, is banished from the Garden of Hesperides along with Zoë after an encounter with Heracles. The two soon stumble upon Artemis when surrounded by monsters in a forest. Percy soon falls in love with the goddess, but will Artemis return the feelings?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey guys, this is an idea I had along with my other story, the Twin Titans. Since I'll be working on two stories now, updates won't come as quickly but I'll still try to update my stories as fast as I can. I know the feeling when an author leaves a story off on a really interesting cliffhanger and then doesn't update for months, and I don't want my readers to experience that. As you can probably tell from the summary, this story will be a Pertemis story with Percy sort of acting as a guardian for the Hunt. But I promise to add some twists and turns to avoid the typical plot with Pertemis stories. Alright, I'm starting to ramble at this point so let me cut to the chase. Here is the first chapter of The Son of Atlas.**

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Chapter 1

_The Garden of the Hesperides_

Two figures, each with bows in their hands, could be seen running in the night along a beautiful garden. As they ran, flowers of vibrant colors and grass illuminating silvery light were trampled under their feet. In the center of the garden, an enormous golden tree filled with glowing golden apples stood guarded by a terrifying dragon with one hundred heads. The two figures skillfully shot arrows at the apples, counting how many they shot down. Each time an arrow struck an apple down, a new one grew back almost instantaneously. After the course of two minutes, an excited voice shouted out, "106! Ha, I win again sister."

Zoë Nightshade, who had hit only 88 apples, rolled her eyes playfully at her brother. Her brother was a master at archery so he would win every time they played this game. Despite this, he would still get excited after each victory. Sighing, Zoë said, "You have may have won today, Percy, but I'm getting closer. One day I'll be able to defeat you, just wait."

Chuckling, the man named Percy responded, "I'm sure you will, little sister. Your skill has gotten a lot better since I started to train you. You have a lot of talent."

Once again, Zoë rolled her eyes, but this time at her brother's insistence on calling her little sister despite them being only a year apart in birth. Percy was the second youngest child of Atlas and Pleione, so Zoë was the only one he was able to call little sister. Although he loved all five of his sisters, Percy was always the closest to Zoë, constantly joking around with her and teaching her skills about archery. The sibling bond held between the two was unbreakable as they were a pair that never left each other's side.

Suddenly, a large roar was heard coming from the dragon, interrupting the conversation. Instead of shaking in fear at the startling sound, Percy and Zoë just smiled as they knew what the sound meant. Rushing over to the large dragon, the two sibling carried a batch of lamb's meat that they held in stock for when the dragon got hungry. Percy stepped forward to pet one of the dragon's heads soothingly while holding out the meat, watching amusedly as all hundred heads focused in on the meat. Throwing up the meat into the air, Percy said, "Here you go, Ladon. I hope it is enough to satisfy you, my little dragon."

As soon as the meat was suspended in the air, a blur of heads all reached out their heads to snatch a piece of it. The meat vanished as a hundred heads crowded around it viciously, all fighting for a taste of its favorite food. In a matter of seconds, the entire batch of lamb was completely devoured and Ladon released a puff of smoke through its nose, showing Percy that it was content. All of the heads stared at Percy with hunger still evident in their eyes, silently asking him if he still had any more food. Laughing loudly, Percy said, "I'm sorry, my friend, but that is all I have for today. Maybe, if you're good, I'll bring you more tomorrow." Ladon grunted, as if he knew that Percy would bring more lamb tomorrow regardless of its behavior just as he has for several centuries.

Seeing her brother treat Ladon so affectionately, Zoë joked, "Sometimes, I feel like you love that dragon more than you love me. Surely, I have better breath than it."

Percy laughed as he knew that Ladon's breath smelled like the acidic stench of rotting corpse mixed with the scent of eucalyptus. Over the years, he had gotten used to the smell, but Zoë still couldn't stand the pungent odor and would often cover her nose when she visited Ladon with Percy. Looking into his sister's volcanic black eyes, Percy said rather seriously, "No one will ever replace you in my heart, Zoë. You have been and will forever be my best friend in addition to my little sister. I would sacrifice anyone, even Ladon and myself, if it meant for your well-being."

Zoë's eyes grew teary before she launched herself into her brother's strong arms, relishing in his warmth. Wrapping her arms around Percy's neck and hugging him tightly, Zoë said, "I feel the same way, brother."

After pulling away from the hug, Zoë noticed a look of sadness in Percy's volcanic black eyes. Stroking his hair softly, Zoë asked, "What's wrong, Percy? Did I do something wrong?"

Percy shook his head. "No, my sadness has nothing to do with you. It's just that I sometimes feel like this garden is more of a prison than a blessing. Although I've enjoyed its beautiful scenery, I wish to journey outside of the garden's boundaries and explore the world outside. I've missed the adventures we used to have before the war between the Titans and Gods."

Zoë nodded silently, understanding his brother's pain. He was the most devastated when Zeus confined all of the Hesperides to this garden to guard the apples of immortality. They were neutral during the Titan war, but Zeus still couldn't allow any children of Titans to roam around freely. Despite this, Percy never held any ill-will to Zeus or the gods and understood his decision. Before Zoë could respond to Percy, a strong, handsome man stepped within the garden wearing a tunic and leather sandals with the skin of the Nemean Lion wrapped around his back.

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**AN: I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of this story. A little bit of a cliffhanger to end this chapter with, but I bet all of you know who the man at the end is. I treasure every single review I get, so please tell me whether you enjoyed the chapter and what you'd like to see in this story. See you guys later. **


	2. Chapter 2: The Banishment

**AN: Hey guys, I had a snow day today (living in Michigan rocks!), so I thought, what better way to pass the time than continue this story. I know I should be working on my other story right now to evenly distribute updates, but I'm really interested in this story and just felt the drive to work on this one. So without further ado, I present to you the next chapter of the Son of Atlas.**

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Chapter 2

_The Garden of the Hesperides_

The man walked closer, allowing Percy and Zoë to get a better glimpse of him: the man's eyes were a deep gray, resembling the clouds before a storm; the man's tunic revealed many bulging muscles, portraying his strength; and the man's brown hair was neatly groomed and short, going well with his eyes. On the man's face was a proud, almost arrogant, expression, making Percy take an instant disliking towards him. Zoë, on the other hand, was openly staring at the man's god-like features, too enraptured with his appearance to notice the conceited aura the man gave off. Having done enough speculation, Percy narrowed his eyes before asking harshly, "Who are you? What is your business here?"

The man's expression was unwavering in the face of Percy's intimidating glare. In a respectful tone, he answered, "I am Heracles, son of Zeus and a hero of Olympus. I come here in peace and mean you know harm. I have heard much about the might of the Hesperides, especially yours Perseus. Your strength and skill in archery is still spoken much of today. Such a shame that you were confined here."

Then, he turned to Zoë, staring hungrily at her before kneeling down and taking her hand. "And you must be Zoë, the most beautiful of all the Hesperides. Your beauty is spoken of all across Greece, envied by even Aphrodite herself. It is an honor to be in your presence."

Beside Percy, Zoë's copper skin turned a deep gold at Heracles's words. Not allowing flattery change his opinion on the man, Percy continued to glare at Heracles. "You still haven't answered my question. What is your purpose in coming here?"

Heracles stood up before apologizing. "I am sorry, but I am under strict orders to not reveal my mission to anyone, even you Perseus. All I may tell you is that I've come here under the word of the Oracle and King Eurystheus of Tiryns to compensate for my mistakes."

Percy, disliking his answer, shook his head. "Then, I must ask you to leave. I will not allow you to cause harm to this garden or my family for your mission. You must leave, either willingly or by force."

Not wanting to get in a fight, especially with a foe as powerful as Percy, Heracles thought of an excuse that would get Percy to back off. "I would not threaten me, if I were you. Many of the gods, including my father, are watching over my mission and would not respond well to any interference."

Paling slightly, Percy grudgingly nodded. The last thing he wanted to do was anger the gods, who could sentence him to a new prison and take him away from his family. "Fine, but if you are not gone by tomorrow evening, even the gods themselves will not stop me from personally throwing you out." With that final threat, Percy vanished in a shadow, leaving his sister and Heracles alone.

Turning to Heracles, Zoë bowed her head in embarrassment. "I deeply apologize for my brother's insolence. Whenever a man arrives at this garden, he always feels the need to act like an overprotective brother. Don't let his attitude deter you, he's usually very caring and sweet."

To her surprise, Heracles laughed whole-heartedly. "It's no problem. A beautiful girl like you must be protected from unethical men. Your brother understands that."

Heracles watched with amusement as Zoë blushed once again. Trying to quickly change the subject, Zoë questioned, "Does your mission here have something to do with the apples of immortality?

Heracles's eyes widened in shock. "How did you figure it out?"

"Well there isn't much else in this garden other than the golden apples. It doesn't take the intelligence of Athena to figure out that you're probably here to eat an apple and gain immortality."

"No, no, you don't understand; my mission is merely under the will of others. I have no wish for immortality at this point. I still have much of my life yet to live and don't want to be stuck in my current state for the rest of eternity. Besides, eternal life sounds like more of a burden than a blessing."

Zoë was surprised by Heracles's opinion of immortality. "Not many reject immortality, but your justification is quite wise. I can tell you from personal experience that immortality isn't all sunshine and rainbows."

Zoë continued to tell him, "Your decision to steal the apples of immortality, however, isn't as wise. Many have tried to steal the apples, and many have failed. What makes you think that you'll be the first one able to succeed?"

Heracles looked down to hide the sadness in his eyes. "I must believe that I'll be able to succeed. The actions I committed in the past are so horrible, I must restore my honor and dignity. Please you must understand."

Zoë softened at his reason. She wanted nothing more than to help this charming man, but knew of the consequences. "Please, I'm only trying to dissuade you from stealing the apples is because I care for you. Surely, you have heard stories about Ladon, the dragon with one hundred heads."

In a deep voice, Heracles responded, "There is no need to fear. I have bested a thousand monsters with my bare hands."

"Not this one," said Zoë with concern laced in her voice. "Ladon is much too strong for a direct assault."

Heracles chuckled, "Then why don't you help me, pretty one. I promise not to get you hurt."

Zoë shook her head, "My safety is not the problem. My sisters and Percy would disown me if they found out I helped a hero steal the apples and attack Ladon. I couldn't stand to see the look of betrayal in my brother's eyes. We have been through everything together."

Heracles bowed his head, visibly disappointed, "I understand. It was presumptuous of me to assume that you would sacrifice everything in your life to help a stranger."

A flash of pain went across Zoë's eyes. Then, with trembling fingers, she pulled out a long white hairpin out of her hair. "If you must fight, take this. My brother made this for me when I was young so that I may protect myself. It has the ocean's power within it and my immortal power."

The pin gleaming in the starlight. Heracles laughed as he looked at it. "A hairpin? How will this help me, pretty one?"

"It may not," Zoë admitted sadly. "But it is all I can offer you in your fight against Ladon."

Softened by Zoë's words, Heracles took the hairpin into his hands before it grew longer into a bronze sword.

"Well balanced," Heracles said with surprise evident in his eyes. "Though I've always preferred to use my bare hands. What shall I name this blade?"

"Anaklusmos," Zoë said with sadness. "The current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it, you have been swept out to sea."

Before Zoë could react, Heracles's lips met hers passionately as a signal of his gratitude. Wasting no time at all, Zoë returned the kiss with just as much passion. As the kiss progressed, Zoë felt completely in paradise, erasing all sense of regret for betraying her family. After an undetermined amount of time, both of them pulled back, gasping for air.

Still blushing, Zoë said, "Come with me, I have a tent where you can rest in. You must rest before fighting Ladon."

She led Heracles into a large silver tent in the middle of the garden. The tent held plenty of room, containing only a large bed and a few pieces of furniture. Seeing all the empty space, Heracles asked, "Why don't you stay with me here tonight, pretty one. It seems quite lonely to stay here in such a large tent all by myself."

Hesitating slightly, Zoë eventually agreed. She climbed into the bed with Heracles, who wrapped his arms around the petite girl. Zoë drifted to sleep, feeling happier than she had in a long time.

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Early the next morning, Zoë shook Heracles's strong arms off her and crawled out of the bed. Taking a deep breath, she opened the flaps of the tent before walking outside to clear her head. As soon as she walked outside, a shadow solidified into the figure of her brother, surprising her greatly.

Holding her hand on her heart, Zoë gasped. "Percy, you scared me. What are you doing up so early?"

Ignoring her question, Percy said, "I see you've already gotten quite close to that hero. I didn't think you were the one to sleep with a man you just met."

Noticing his disapproving gaze, Zoë denied the statement quickly. "No! We didn't do anything like that. We were just tired, and he offered me to stay with me. I didn't want to walk to where to I usually sleep, so I just agreed."

Shaking his head, Percy continued to ask, "Where is Anaklusmos? Surely you couldn't have lost it; it's stuck in your hair."

Wincing deeply, Zoë hesitated before answering, "No, I didn't lose it. I … I gave it to Heracles as a gift."

Percy struggled to contain his anger. "You have got to be kidding me. Don't you understand how much work I put into creating that blade? I placed my own power and hard work into that sword, and you betray me by giving it to that sky spawn!?"

Zoë narrowed her eyes. "What's your problem? You've never spoken to me with such a tone before. And why do you hate Heracles so much? After he's only displayed kindness, all you've done is continuously sneer at him."

Rolling his eyes, Percy said, "I can't believe you're so oblivious, Zoë."

"What do you mean?" Zoë asked, confused.

"Can't you tell he's taking advantage you? By using his good lucks and charm, he wants to convince you to help him. He doesn't actually care about you at all. He knows that he isn't strong enough to beat Ladon himself, so he needs to rely on you for help."

"I can't believe you would think that. Am I so unattractive that he has to have an alternative reason for displaying attraction towards me? I thought you would be happy for me, I finally found someone who loves me and all you've done is show disapproval."

"You aren't the problem, it's Heracles. I know those heroes, all about glory and honor. They'll use any method to get what they want. Lies, deceit, manipulation, I've seen it all. You're just a pawn in his game, Zoë. As soon as he's done with you, he won't even give you a second glance. I just want to stop you from getting hurt."

"You're judging Heracles even though you know nothing about him. You're assuming all these terrible things about him based on simply his title. I know how he's not doing this for glory, but to atone for his previous mistakes."

"It's been less than 12 hours since you've met the man; you barely know him. How do you know he's not lying?"

Zoë shook her head in disbelief. "You know, I originally felt sorry for giving Anaklusmos to Heracles and helping him with his mission, but now I feel relieved if all you're going to be is an inconsiderate jerk!"

A flash of hurt went across Percy's volcanic black eyes. Turning around so Zoë couldn't see the tears in his eyes, Percy whispered, "Fine, if you're going to believe a man who you just met over your older brother who has always had nothing but your best interests at heart, then I won't disturb you anymore. Enjoy your life with Heracles, sister."

Percy disappeared into a shadow in the ground before Zoë could respond. She fell to her knees, regretting every word she said to him. Silently, Heracles sneaked up behind her and placed an arm on her shoulder.

Not even turning around to look at him, Zoë said, "You heard the entire conversation, didn't you?"

Heracles chuckled silently, "It's kind of hard to not hear it when you two were screaming at each other." Seeing his joke had no effect, Heracles sat down next to her and continued, "I'm sorry that I caused you and brother to have such a disagreement; that was never my intention. I promise you that I wouldn't ever abuse your trust like your brother suggested."

Zoë had tears in her eyes, "I don't have a family anymore. My own stupidity caused the brother I cared for my entire life to hate me."

Heracles said in a soothing tone, "I can take you with me after I've retrieved the apples. I won't leave you here to be disowned."

Zoë's eyes widened in surprise. "You would do that for me?"

Heracles laughed in response. "Of course. After all you've done for me, it's the least I can do."

Hugging Heracles tightly, Zoë thanked him repeatedly. "No words could express my gratitude for you. Percy was wrong about you, Heracles. Thank you so much."

"It's really my pleasure. It gets kind of lonely on the road by myself, and your presence would make long journeys much more interesting."

Standing up, Heracles rubbed his hands in excitement. "I believe it's time to take down that overgrown dragon once and for all. And after that, the future is looking bright, my dear."

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Zoë gaped in amazement as she watched Heracles fight Ladon with such ease and skill. After she led him to Ladon and the golden apples, Heracles wasted no time in engaging the dragon. Zoë refused to attack the dragon that she had helped raise, leaving Heracles to deal with the monster by himself. Several minutes went by, and Heracles was putting forth a valiant effort. Although his muscles were large and his body structure was heavy, Heracles was still able to rapidly dodge Ladon's heads while using Anaklusmos to cut off the heads that traveled too close to him. But even Zoë could tell that Heracles was tiring out and Ladon's heads were too numerous for Heracles to win. She watched in despair as two heads attacked Heracles at once, forcing Heracles to block one head while the other was able to sneak behind him and sweep him off his feet. Instantaneously, several heads surrounded Heracles, who was left defenseless on the ground. Ladon poised to finish the hero as Heracles closed his eyes in fear and Zoë released a strident scream. Seconds went by, but Heracles was still unharmed. Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to see Ladon twitching upon the ground. The dragon was on its back, unmoving and apparently in some state of shock.

Heracles gasped. "How… How is this possible?"

A shadow popped out of the ground, revealing Percy with a golden apple of immortality in his hands. He refused to look at Heracles while he said, "There is a nerve upon Ladon's back that leaves it motionless for a few hours when punctured. That is its only weakness and the only hope you had to defeat him."

Percy winced as he held out the golden apple. "Take the apple and get out of my sight. My only request in return is for you to take care of my sister. You make her very happy, and it would be unwise for me to deny her the chance to live in happiness for my personal feelings."

Heracles took the apple in his hands before laughing cruelly. He doubled over in laughter, leaving both Percy and Zoë confused. After composing himself, he sneered, "I knew that I had convinced Zoë the instant she laid her eyes upon me, but I didn't think you were stupid enough to fall for my act as well. You truly believed that I cared for the girl enough to allow her accompany me on my journey?"

Percy's eyes flashed murderously, but restrained himself from attacking. He knew that fighting a hero without a challenge was against the Ancient Laws. "You're just like every other selfish, ungrateful hero out there, you bastard. After seeing how you treated my sister, I thought you would be different. I placed my trust in you for the happiness of my sister and you return the favor by breaking her heart."

Heracles rolled his eyes. "Why should I care if I broke your sister's heart? Sure, she's beautiful, but she's still a worthless women who would only get in the way of my journey."

Beside him, Zoë fell to the ground in tears. The one time she fell for a man, she was deceived and left heartbroken. Percy managed to get even angrier. "Leave my sister out of this or not even the Ancient Laws will save you from my wrath. You don't deserve to even breathe the same air as her, you bastard. It doesn't matter how many quests you complete, you won't be even one-thousandth the person she is."

Heracles's pride overwhelmed him. "You dare insult a child of the King of the Heavens himself. I am the greatest hero alive, and you would be wise to not offend me any further."

Percy scoffed at his statement. "You? The greatest hero alive? Please, I've seen five year olds with more intelligence than you. And hiding behind the Ancient Laws shows how much of a coward you are."

Having heard enough, Heracles released a cry of anger and pulled out Anaklusmos before charging at Percy with unrestrained anger. Percy smirked to himself as Heracles took the bait, just as he planned. Now he could finally lash out all his fury onto the conceited hero.

Right before Heracles reached him, Percy sidestepped out of the way and stuck out of his foot. He watched in amusement as Heracles fell to the ground in an ungraceful heap. Standing up angrily, Heracles pointed Anaklusmos at Percy and shouted, "Fight me like a man, you coward."

"As you wish," Percy replied smugly before pulling out two hunting knives and disappearing in a shadow. He reappeared right behind Heracles before sinking one of his hunting knives deep into the back of Heracles's thigh. Blood poured out while Heracles quickly swung Anaklusmos behind him, only to find that Percy had vanished once again. This time, Percy rematerialized in front of him and lunged forward with both hunting knives. Heracles quickly overcame his surprise and barely managed to block the strike. Percy continued to stay on the offensive and slashed wildly at the hero, turning into a whirlwind of strikes. Heracles, unable to keep up with Percy's speed and grace, accumulated many cuts all over his body. Furious, Heracles brought Anaklusmos high above his head before swinging down with all his strength. To his surprise, Percy brought up his hunting knives in the shape of an X and easily defended against the attack. Heracles continued to push down with his sword, but Percy didn't even budge. Having had enough, Percy kicked Heracles hard in his undefended chest, sending him flying 30 feet backwards.

Heracles coughed up blood as he struggled to get up. Percy slowly stalked up to him, relishing the look of fear upon Heracles's face. Knowing he would die if he continued to fight, Heracles rushed up a rocky trail leading up a mountain. He knew his only chance was of survival lied on the top of the mountain. Watching Heracles run away, Percy pursued him while shouting, "Get back here, you coward." Percy used his speed and grace to quickly scale the mountain as Zoë followed behind him. Upon reaching the summit, Percy paled at what he saw. Heracles stood next to Atlas, whispering something in his ear, while the other Hesperides stood to the side, singing a mournful hymn. After hearing his whispers, Atlas nodded begrudgingly and sent Heracles away in a flash of light.

Still angry, Percy shouted, "Where have you sent him, father? I still have unfinished business with that fool."

Struggling under the weight of the sky, Atlas responded, "In exchange for the information he held, I allowed him to leave the garden safely with the apple of immorality. I agreed since I have no care for that pesky, little hero. I am much more interested in my two traitorous children."

Atlas's facial expressions suddenly turned a scowl before he yelled furiously, "How stupid are you two, falling for the tricks of a dim-witted hero and giving him an apple of immortality? As if supporting Zeus's decision to place me under the sky and staying neutral during the Titan War wasn't enough to cause me to be angry, you continue to disgrace this family's honor by helping a hero over your family."

Sensing his father's anger, Percy responded courageously, "Please, father, punish me if you must, but don't do anything to Zoë. I was the one who gave Heracles the apple; Zoë didn't do anything wrong."

Shaking his head, Atlas said, "No, this is the last time you two will disgrace me. You are both banished from this garden. I no longer consider you a part of this family."

Atlas then turned to Percy. "I was ecstatic at first to have a son who could carry in my footsteps, but you have done nothing but disappoint me time and time again. Get out of my sight."

Percy looked at the Hesperides, who stared at Percy and Zoë mournfully. "Sisters," Percy pleaded. "You must help me convince father that we do not deserve banishment."

Aegle, the eldest of the Hesperides, shook her head with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry, little brother, but we cannot disobey father's orders. You brought this upon yourself by giving Heracles the apple and betraying your family."

Percy turned to Atlas once again and said angrily, "How is giving an apple of immortality to a hero a bad enough crime to deserve banishment? You've wanted to disown me ever since I agreed with Zeus's decision to force you to carry the weight of the sky, and this is just an excuse to do so."

Atlas snorted. "So what if it is? Either way, you're gone and I never have to deal with you again."

"Fine, I'll leave, but only because I can't stand to be in your presence. Come on Zoë, let's get out of this blasted place."

Percy led Zoë out of the garden into a world unfamiliar to them. Walking out into a deep forest that seemed to continue in each direction endlessly, Zoë asked her brother with tears in her eyes, "What do we do now, brother?"

Percy could only shake his head dejectedly, "I don't know, sister. I don't know."

**AN: I know the reason for the banishment was kind of confusing, since Percy and ****Zo****ë didn't outright betray Atlas in any way. Just think of reason as Atlas hates his two youngest children for experiences in the past and uses this to officially disown them. Also, some of you may be confused as to why Percy seemingly forgave ****Zo****ë already. Don't worry, Percy still holds some resentment towards ****Zo****ë, as you'll see in the next chapter. In addition, to address Percy's power to vanish in a shadow, the Hesperides have powers over the shadows since they are the nymphs of the sunset. I don't know why Zoe never used those powers during the Percy Jackson series, but they will both be able to do so in this story. As the son of Atlas, the Titan of strength and endurance, Percy is also very strong, which is why he was able to withstand Heracles's immense strength. Lastly, I used some lines from the Titan's Curse, so I hope you guys don't mind. Now that I've cleared all that up, I wanted to thank you all for the support this story's been receiving. When I first thought of this idea, I didn't think it would be that popular since it's not the most original idea, but I'm glad to see that you guys like it so far. Keep reviewing and being amazing, and I'll see you guys later.**


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting Artemis

**AN: Hey everyone, I'm back with another chapter of this story. I don't have much to say here, so I guess I'll just dive into the story by saying that I hope you guys enjoy the next chapter of the Son of Atlas.**

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_Chapter 3_

Trees and wild plants sprawled in every direction, leaving Percy and Zoë to walk aimlessly in the huge forest. As they walked, mosquitoes and other critters crawled around everywhere, constantly bothering them. Weeds and vines grew sporadically out of the ground, providing a much different environment than the flower-blooming, beautiful garden the two siblings were used to. A pungent odor that resembled the stench of a rotting corpse was emitted within the tropical forest, making Percy wary of the dangers the forest could behold. The only light was the glow of the moon above their heads, but Percy and Zoë were used to darkness and could see perfectly fine.

As an expert hunter from before the Titan War, Percy took the lead, skillfully weaving between vines. Still angry at his sister for basically causing him to be banished, Percy had no intention to talk to her as he paced ahead rapidly and left her behind to follow him. He knew that he would forgive her eventually, given how close their relationship was, but, for now, he kept his mind off of Zoë and focused on other matters. Knowing that she had trusted a hero over him and pressured him into helping her give Heracles an apple, Zoë understood her brother's feelings of anger towards her. Wishing to not aggravate him any further, Zoë trudged along silently behind him.

After walking around for hours, Percy began to lose attention towards his surroundings as he started to sort through his thoughts. While deep in thought, Percy didn't see the thorn bush in front of him and scraped his leg along it. Although painful, he didn't think much of the scratch until he heard Zoë gasp behind him. As he looked down to see what his sister was so surprised about, Percy fell into a state of shock as well. Instead of golden ichor, red blood coursed out of the wound, meaning that he was now mortal. Percy put a hand on the scratch and watched in disbelief as he saw the red blood cover his hand without a speck of gold lying within the blood. Shaking his head in astonishment, Percy realized that their father must have taken their immortality from then when he banished them.

His disbelief suddenly turned into anger as he turned around swiftly with an expression of rage upon his face, startling Zoë. Pointed a finger towards her, Percy accused, "I can't believe this! This is all your fault, Zoë. You're the reason why we're stuck in this blasted forest with no clue of what to do and left without our immortality."

At his words, something snapped inside Zoë. After all that had happened to her, Percy's spiteful words were the last straw, replacing all her sadness with anger. Zoë, all sense of guilt erased of out her mind, asked, "Me? How is this my fault?"

"Had you not insisted on helping that hero, I wouldn't have saved his sorry ass, and we wouldn't be in this mess right now," Percy continued to yell.

"I never forced you to help Heracles or me, Percy. That was your own decision." Zoë fired back.

"I'm sorry for caring about your happiness, little sister. I guess next time you need my help, I'll just turn my back and leave you alone."

Always a confident and proud girl, Zoë felt offended that her brother thought she couldn't handle herself without his help. "Fine, see if I care. I don't need you constantly babying me and helping me with my problems anyways. In fact, I would be better off if you left me alone," yelled Zoë confidently in the spur of the moment, not realizing the implications of her statement.

Hearing his dearest sister cut off all remaining connections between them hurt Percy deeply. Tears began to form in Percy's eyes before he shook his head and used anger to cover up the hurt. "If that is what you wish, I will give you your independence, Zoë. May we never cross paths again," said Percy before vanishing into the shadows and leaving Zoë alone in the huge forest.

After recovering of the shock, a wave of emotions hit Zoë with the force of a truck. Unable to contain herself, Zoë began using her hunting knife to cut up a tree, releasing all her anger and pain in the process. After cutting several deep marks into the tree, she fell to her knees as all the pain of Heracles's betrayal and Percy's departure crashed onto her. After the past two days, Zoë's heart felt like it had been smashed up and scattered across the Earth. For a moment, all she could do was cry in despair.

Several minutes passed before Zoë began to regain her senses. Too stubborn and too proud to be seen in a state of such weakness, Zoë started to stand up and shake her head of all depressing thoughts. She, then, began to march through the forest determinedly, putting all sense of her guilt and pain in the back of her mind. Feeling that she didn't need a man to protect her, she continued to walk, unaware of the glowing red eyes watching her from her behind. A pack of hellhounds licked their lips hungrily at the sight of the lone girl, anxious for the taste of new meat.

Due to her emotionally and physically exhausted body, Zoë didn't notice the advancements of the hellhounds behind her. As the head hellhound pounced upon her from behind and crashed her into a tree violently, Zoë could only release a loud scream before knocking into the tree and falling unconscious.

Percy, who sat on the root of a tree with a pain expression on his face, was shaken out of his misery at the sound of the scream. His eyes widened as he realized who the scream must have come from. Hastily standing up, Percy took out his bow and began to run in panic while screaming Zoë's name. By following the sound of the scream, he quickly found Zoë, who was surrounded by a pack of hellhounds. Seeing his sister unconscious with the hellhounds about to eat her filled Percy's heart with hatred. After carefully taking aim, he expertly released an arrow that sliced through three hellhounds at once. The focus of the hellhounds turned away from the girl onto the new threat.

Completely forgetting about Zoë, the hellhounds rushed towards Percy, who took out several hellhounds by shooting three arrows at a time. His precision was exact, but there were too many hellhounds to kill with only a bow and arrows. A pack of 8 remaining hellhounds eventually surrounded him closely, leaving his bow useless. Determined to kill these hellhounds before they hurt his little sister any further, Percy pulled out his hunting knives that were made out of celestial bronze. An idiotic hellhound made the mistake of pouncing towards Percy by itself. Percy easily ducked underneath the hellhound's jump and swiped upwards, reducing the monster to nothing but a layer of dust.

The hellhounds, now wary of Percy's skill, began attacking in groups. As three hellhounds approached at once, Percy rushed forward at inhumane speeds and swiped his knife at a hellhound before it could even react. The other two hellhounds ran towards Percy from each side. The two monsters crashed into each other as Percy disappeared in a shadow. Reappearing twenty feet away, Percy used his bow to quickly discard the two dazed hellhounds. With only a few hellhounds left, all four attacked Percy at once. He quickly sidestepped the strike of one hellhound before blocking the claws of another. Percy continued to gracefully dodge the hellhounds, who were unable to get a single claw on him. Seeing the hellhounds begin to tire out, Percy realized it was time to strike back.

Percy picked up a large rock and threw it at the hellhounds, crushing one while two others were knocked back with great force. The one hellhound that wasn't hit by the rock was left without the aid of its partners as Percy stabbed the hellhound directly in the heart with his knife. Another hellhound, thinking that it could out smart Percy, feinted its claws low before striking upwards. Percy, who saw the feint from a mile away, blocked the attack with ease before pulling out an arrow from his quiver and slamming it through the monster's head. The last hellhound, which was the leader of the pack, realized it had no hope of beating Percy by itself. It ran back to Zoë, hoping to snatch up the defenseless girl before Percy could reach her. Realizing the hellhound's motives, Percy shadow traveled to Zoë right before the hellhound could get there. He covered Zoë with his body, leaving his body exposed to the hellhound's claws. Percy felt exploding pain as three claw marks were embedded deeply into his back.

Expecting further damage, Percy was left in shock when three silver arrows came out of nowhere and struck the monster in both its eyes and its heart. He marveled at the accuracy of the shots briefly before turning his attention back onto Zoë. Seeing the blood from the injury on Zoë's head made Percy want to resurrect the hellhounds and kill them again. Placing a hand on her forehead, Percy took all the ambrosia he had in his pocket and fed it gently to his little sister. He watched in relief as Zoë's wound began to close up and the color returned to her face. After treating Zoë's wounds, Percy walked to a nearby creek, dipping himself in the water until the blood was washed away and the claw marks sealed. Although the marks had been reduced to light scars, Percy was extremely tired and could still feel the pain radiate from the initial attacks. Percy returned to Zoë's side and begun to care for her again. Noticing that the ambrosia had not completely healed her and that she was still in critical condition, Percy felt a wave of guilt hit him as he whispered how it was all his fault for leaving her in this forest by herself. Overwhelmed with despair, Percy didn't even notice that a woman was standing right in front of him until she cleared her throat.

Startled by the sudden noise, Percy looked up and caught his breath as he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen standing before him. She looked around the age of 18 and had silky auburn colored hair that reached her shoulders. She was wearing a tight, silver chiton that showed off her athletic curves, and had a silver bow that seemed to fit perfectly in her hands. Her face radiated beauty, but a stern and dangerous expression adorned her face. The feature that captivated Percy the most was her eyes: they were silvery yellow and seemed to glow brighter than the moon. Unwillingly, a warm and fuzzy feeling overcame the pit Percy's of stomach as he marveled at the woman's beauty.

The woman narrowed her eyes at the young man and young maiden in front of her, analyzing them with great detail. She noticed they both had very tan skin, almost the color of caramel; a lean, body structure fit for hunters; and eyes that resembled black volcanic rocks. Wearing similar white chitons, the two looked extremely similar, meaning they had to be siblings or related in some way. The unconscious girl was very beautiful with her long, raven black hair and peaceful expression on her face. The woman noted that that the man was, admittingly, extremely handsome as his smooth dark hair fell perfectly into his mysterious eyes that seemed to be clouded with emotions. She had seen him fight the hellhounds with his impressive skills in archery and combat, making her think that this man was not a simple mortal. Analyzing him closely, Artemis assumed that he was probably the demigod son of a minor god or goddess as he didn't share any qualities with any of the Olympians.

As Percy tried to identify the woman, he suddenly realized who she must be. Only one person had such mastery over archery. Percy quickly knelt at her feet, hoping that she was indeed the person he thought she was. Whether from fear of being vaporized or something else, Percy's heart began to beat rapidly as he said, "Lady Artemis. It is an honor to be in your presence. I must ask, though, what have I done to deserve the attention of a goddess?"

Artemis narrowed her eyes at the mysterious figure. "I was driving my moon chariot over this forest when I heard a loud scream. It sounded like a maiden was in trouble," she explained tersely.

Percy's eyes widened in realization. It seemed like he wasn't the only one who had heard Zoë's scream of pain. "Yes, my sister, suffered an attack from a pack of hellhounds. Please, I beg of you, to help her. She is unconscious, and I don't have the medical knowledge to heal her."

Artemis looked down at the unconscious girl. The ambrosia seemed to heal her mostly, but a large cut on her head was still evident. The man she was speaking to seemed to be in a much more critical condition, yet he asked her to heal his sister instead. "Of course, I will help her. All maidens are under my domain and protection, including your sister," said Artemis before she bent down and placed a hand on the Zoë's forehead. Pulses of silver entered Zoë's body until her wound was completely healed. Laying her body down gently for her to rest, Artemis smiled at the resting girl.

Percy knelt even further. "I am in your debt, Lady Artemis. Had you not saved me from that hellhound previously and healed my sister, we would surely be in much worse conditions. No words can express my gratitude."

Artemis was impressed with this man's manners and caring actions towards his sister, something not common among those of his gender. Not responding to his thanks, Artemis changed the topic. "What were you and your sister doing here? I haven't seen any mortals wonder in such an obscure area."

"My sister and I were banished from our father, Atlas, from the Garden of the Hesperides and stripped of our immortality. We have been wondering in this forest for quite some time before we were attacked by the hellhounds," replied Percy warily, not sure how she would respond to his father being a Titan.

Artemis's eyes widened in shock. Her bow materialized in her hands out of nowhere as she quickly notched an arrow, preventing Percy from escaping. "That means you must be Percy and Zoë. Your interference in the quest of Heracles has been talked about frequently on Olympus." Narrowing her eyes, she continued, "You and your sister must accompany me to Olympus. The children of Titans cannot roam around freely.

Percy, not even wavering at the sight of the bow in his face, responded, "Please, leave my sister out of this. She has went through a lot of grief and doesn't need interrogation from the gods to further add to her troubles. I will come with you willingly if you don't get her involved."

Artemis nodded her head slowly, considered his offer thoroughly. "Fine, I will send your sister to the camp of my hunters, where she will be cared for."

"Thank you, Lady Artemis. That is all I ask for," said Percy before raising his arms out for Artemis to bond him. Using Hephaestus's unbreakable chains, Artemis tied Percy's arms tightly before flashing Zoë to her hunters' camp and them to Mount Olympus.

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**AN: Sorry for the long wait for such a short chapter. The ending was kind of abrupt, so I'm not too happy with how this chapter turned out. I originally intended it for to be a lot longer but ultimately decided to just leave off with Artemis's introduction. Speaking of which, I hope you like how she was introduced. I didn't want her to show any signs of liking Percy yet, because that is way too OCC for her. I intended for her to seem cold and distant, but not cruel and derisive. I hate when authors portray Artemis as heartless towards all men for no reason. During the Titan's Curse, she seems to treat Percy with respect and even stops Zoë from smacking him****, and I wanted her to seem her like that in this story. On the other hand, hopefully you noticed the start of Percy's love for Artemis. At this point, his admiration for her is simply due to her appearance and her saving him from the hellhound. It will eventually develop into something far more deep. Alright, now that I'm finished with clarifying some things about the story, I just wanted to thank you guys for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. I mean, 93 favorites after only two chapters! Holy crap, that's a lot. Your support truly means a lot to me, more than I can ever say in words. The next chapter will be up shortly since I already wrote a great deal of it. See you guys soon.**


	4. Chapter 4: Secret Revealed

**AN: Hey guys, I'm back with a quick update. I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, but Percy is able to heal himself by coming into contact with water. This is because he is a son of Pleione, a water goddess. I wanted Percy to have some of the powers he has in the original series, but he will not have any other powers with water since that will make him too powerful. Percy will be the only Hesperide who acquired this trait. Also, I'm sorry if Zoe comes off as rude and obnoxious at times, but I'm sure anyone who went through what she did would be slight bitter as well. She and Percy will regain their close relationship soon, so don't worry. Not too much left to say, so here comes the fourth chapter of The Son of Atlas.**

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Chapter 4

Artemis brought Percy to the entrance of Mount Olympus. White marble steps wound up the spine of a cloud, leading to the summit of Mount Olympus where mansions with white-columned porches, golden terraces, and bronze braziers glowed brightly in the sun. Roads wound up to the largest palace, which Percy presumed was where the throne room lay. Artemis lead him towards the throne room as Percy walked behind her, marveling at the gardens that bloomed with olive trees and rose bushes. They passed by several markets filled with colorful tents and an amphitheater while Percy greeted many minor gods and goddesses along the way, who didn't seem to be concerned to talk to a man in chains. As they passed by, satyrs, naiads, and the gods and goddesses all bowed in respect towards Artemis, who smiled at many of them. Although Percy had seen Olympus before after the Titan War, the place had changed a lot, amazing Percy with its development.

When Percy and Artemis reached the large palace at the peak, Artemis released a godly blast of silver into the air, calling for a council meeting. They walked up steps that lead to the throne room, where massive columns held up a domed ceiling that rose above twelve thrones arranged in an inverted U with an enormous fire crackling in the central hearth pit. Suddenly, twelve brilliant flashes of light filled the room as each gods sat in their respective throne, leaving Percy to stand in the room for all to inspect. The Olympians looked at Percy curiously, wondering why he was brought here.

Before the gods could ask anything, Percy began walking around, introducing himself to the gods. Percy approached the first throne on the left, which was a deep purple color and covered in grape vines. The god on the throne had a chubby face, curly black hair, purple eyes, a red nose, and bloodshot eyes from what had to be alcohol. He knelt at the feet of the god and respectively said, "You must be Lord Dionysus. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." Dionysus grunted in response, feigning indifference when he was actually very intrigued by the man standing in front of him.

Percy moved on to the next throne, which was decorated with a doctor's symbol and a caduceus. An athletic god with blue eyes, salt-and-pepper hair, and a sly grin slouched on the throne. Percy grinned wildly at the god before kneeling down again. "Lord Hermes. I missed your visits. It has been a long time since from the outside world has traveled to the garden and talked to me."

Hermes nodded apologetically. "Sorry, Percy. I've been so busy with all these messages. I've barely had time to sit."

"I understand, Lord Hermes. Do not feel the need to apologize," Percy replied before standing up and walking to the next throne.

The next throne was largely pink with images of doves on the side, but that was not the most interesting part of it. Much more interesting was the goddess sitting on top of it. She radiated beauty in the tight robes she wore and had a smile that protruded warm feelings of love. Although beautiful, Percy couldn't help but think that Artemis was much more beautiful than she was. Kneeling at her feet, Percy said, "Lady Aphrodite, You live up to your reputation with your beauty."

Across the room, Artemis scoffed. She had thought that Percy was different than other men, but it turns out he was just likely every other lustful male who turned into a pile of mush at Aphrodite's feet.

Aphrodite's smile widened at the kindness Percy displayed. She stared at Percy lustfully. "Oh, how sweet of you to say that. You know, Percy, you're always welcome in my palace."

"I must politely refuse your offer, my lady. Hermes tells me you have both a husband and a boyfriend, so I wouldn't feel right further helping you cheat on your husband," Percy said trying not to offend the goddess, leaving all the Olympians, especially Artemis, speechless.

Before anyone could speak up, Percy quickly bowed at the next throne, which was composed of various metals and gears that turned continuously. A god with many deformed features and a wild brown beard sat uncomfortably in the throne. "Lord Hephaestus, the craftsmanship on these chains are simply remarkable.

Hephaestus was surprised at the praise, something he rarely received. "Yes only the finest metals were used to craft it. Not even the might of a god can break these chains without the use of the key." Percy nodded enthusiastically in response.

Artemis sat at the next throne, which was silver like her outfit with painting and carvings of wild animals. Percy simply bowed as they had already been introduced before.

The throne after Artemis's seemed to be made of solid gold and glowed so brightly that it hurt to look at it. The god who sat on top had a large grin and golden eyes that seemed to be even brighter than his throne. Percy, kneeling at the feet of the god, said, "Lord Apollo, Hermes has told me much about your fun and amusing personality."

Apollo nodded excitedly. "You've got that right, kid. Hey, you seem charming and handsome, why don't you come with me and Hermes to hook up with some girls later on. With my looks, Hermes's jokes, and your personality, the girls won't stop coming."

Percy mentally rolled his eyes at Apollo calling him kid when he was several centuries older than him. "Although tempting, I must refuse, my Lord. Hooking up with random girls isn't really appealing to me," Percy said sheepishly, surprising Artemis even further.

Apollo's grin didn't lessen at all. "Not a problem, Percy. Just tell me if you change your mind."

A large gray throne with designs of owls covering the sides was next. On top of the throne was a goddess staring at Percy intently, analyzing all of his features through her stormy-grey eyes as if she would have to battle him. Her long black hair and intense grey eyes gave her a beautiful yet cold appearance, much like Artemis. Having deep respect for the goddess, Percy kneeled at her feet. "Lady Athena, word of your wisdom reaches even the Garden of the Hesperides. It is truly an honor to be in your presence."

Athena nodded, maintaining her cold and regal look. Narrowing her eyes at Percy, she said, "I've heard much about you as well, Percy. Word of your actions against Heracles circulates around here frequently. I cannot say your actions were wise, but even I must admit that your motives were pure and noble. I have never supported a decision that seems unwise, but your choice to give Heracles an apple seems to be an exception." Athena offered a small smile, before returning back to her stoic expression. Knowing that Athena's approval was extremely hard to receive, Percy held a deep sense of pride in his heart. Nodding his thanks, Percy struggled to keep a large grin from overcoming his face.

The next god was a muscular man with flame-filled empty sockets for eyes and scars covering his body, He wore armor made of Imperial Gold despite it being a council meeting and had a permanent scowl on his face. When kneeling down at his feet, Percy instantly felt feelings of rage and violence overwhelm his thoughts. Unable to control his anger, Percy said, "Lord Ares, Hermes tells me you're the most idiotic and hot-headed of all the Olympians. I can definitely see how you and Heracles are related." Realizing what he said, Percy immediately regretted his words. Expecting Ares to blast him for his insolence, Percy was surprised to hear Ares let out a booming laugh.

Percy looked up to see Ares grinning wildly. Seemingly taking no offense to Percy's insults, Ares said, "You've get a little attitude there punk. Don't worry. I enjoy a little anger as long you remember who's boss. I gotta say, though, I like what you did to that idiot Heracles. Keep kicking ass like that and I just might like you." Percy, unsure of how to respond to that, Percy simply nodded.

Moving on to the next throne, Percy couldn't help but grin. The goddess sitting on top had long, wavy blonde hair that resembled the color of ripe wheat and large brown eyes. Sitting on a green throne decorated with fresh flowers and depicted various images of nature, she wore a crown of woven corn leaves and a bright green dress. Smiling brightly, she shrunk down to Percy's height and embraced Percy tightly, surprising all the younger gods in the throne room. Due to the chains still binding his hands together, Percy was unable to hug her back, but he still snuggled into the hug. "Lady Demeter, it has been far too long since we've last talked. Had I known I would see the Olympians today, I would've brought a flower for you."

Demeter laughed at Percy's mention of their old ritual. "It is quite alright, Percy, I think I have enough flowers to fill a garden from all the times you've brought me one." Percy smiled brightly before Demeter continued to say, "Oh, I've missed you so much, Percy. Things haven't been the same without you." They continued to hug until Percy felt a cold stream of water hit the back of his head as unknown voice said, "As heartwarming as this reunion has been, I believe I'd like to talk to old Perseus as well."

Percy looked to the next throne, where a god sat on top of a throne that resembled a fisherman's chair with a black leather seat and a holster that held a bronze trident. The god's sea-green eyes sparkled brightly as he grinned wildly. His bright, vibrant tunic contrasted deeply with his deeply tanned skin. At last, Demeter released Percy from her embrace and Percy knelt before the god as he said, "Lord Poseidon, you know how much I hate when people call me by that name. I think you say that on purpose to annoy me."

Laughing heartedly, Poseidon shrunk down and gave Percy a short hug. "You know me too well, my friend. I hear you gave Zeus's kid a good pounding, I can't say that I disapprove," Poseidon said while Zeus gave him a glare at the head of the room.

Percy joined in Poseidon's laughter "It's good to see you again, Poseidon. I deeply missed your sense of humor. By the way, how is my mother doing under your domain?"

"Quite fine, actually. You should visit her sometime."

Percy's eyes filled with pain as he looked down, trying to prevent anyone from noticing his discomfort. Despite his efforts, Poseidon saw the hurt flash across Percy's eyes and wondered silently how his statement could've made him uncomfortable. Quickly changing the topic, Poseidon said, "Maybe, you should go on. I'm sure Hera is anxious to talk to you again."

Percy's smile came back as he walked over to Hera, who had a throne made of ivory with designs of peacocks covering the surface. With her long black hair, face of regal beauty, and soft brown eyes, Hera looked incredibly beautiful in her robes that shimmered colors like peacock features. Knowing of Hera's infamous temper, Percy knelt with a serious expression upon his face. "Lady Hera, I must deeply apologize for going against your will and giving an apple of immortality to Heracles. My love for my sister made me blind to his true intentions, and I regret my actions."

To his surprise, Hera just smiled. "Oh, cut the formal crap. Get over here and hug an old friend."

Percy gave a sigh of relief as he walked into Hera's embrace, glad that he hadn't angered the goddess. Pulling back, Percy asked quite dumbly, "So, you aren't angry with me?"

Hera rolled her eyes. "Percy, as wise as you are during battle, you are quite oblivious when it comes to people's feelings. Although I initially felt betrayed when I heard that you disobeyed my orders. I know that you did everything you did for the sake of family. As the goddess of family, how could I be angry at such an act of love? Plus, you knocked some sense into that worthless demigod and his overbearing ego."

Opening his mouth to express his gratitude, Percy was cut off by Hera, who said, "There is no need to thank me. Now, go on to my husband. I believe you have much to discuss with him."

As Percy walked near Zeus, the air crackled and smelled of ozone. Sitting on a simple throne of solid platinum, Zeus had a well-trimmed beard that reflected the colors of a storm cloud. Much like Heracles, Zeus had a proud and handsome face with eyes the color of rainy gray. Knowing that Zeus had a temper much like Hera's, Percy was worried that Zeus wouldn't be as forgiving. In a serious tone, Percy said, "Lord Zeus, I must also apologize to you for harming your son. I knew full well that Heracles was your son, yet I still fought him. That said, I don't regret my actions and would harm him again if I had the chance."

Letting out a rare smile, Zeus replied, "It is nice to see you still have your fiery determination, Percy. I was beginning to think that you were going soft with the way you treated the other Olympians." After laughing whole-heartedly, Zeus gave Percy a friendly slap on the back. "Normally, I would be angry if someone to injure one of my children, but even I must admit that Heracles's actions were unwise and deserving of punishment. All is forgiven, my friend."

Percy found himself sighing in relief for the second time of the day. "I'm so relieved that my dearest friends don't hold any ill will towards me. Speaking of which, where are Lady Hestia and Lord Hades?"

Zeus smirked slyly. "I'm afraid of my brother is only welcomed on Mount Olympus during the Winter Solstice. As for Hestia, why don't you look behind you?"

Turning around, Percy saw a small seven year old girl with long mousy-brown hair and warm eyes that were filled with flames emerge from the hearth in the center. Instantly, Percy felt calm and peaceful as the girl wrapped her arms around his legs. "Lady Hestia, I never understood your insistence on maintaining the appearance of a child."

Smiling warmly, Hestia replied, "And I never understood your insistence on calling me Lady Hestia. You'd think after all these years, you'd finally cut back on the formal terms."

Laughing together, the two continued to talk animatedly until Athena cleared her throat. Unable to comprehend why her normally serious aunts and uncles were treating Percy with such kindness, Athena asked what all the younger gods were wondering, "Father, what is the meaning of this? Why are you all treating Percy like he is your best friend? You've never treated a stranger so amicably before."

Zeus glanced at Percy, silently asking him a question. When Percy nodded his head, Zeus answered, "There has been a closely guarded secret involving Percy on Olympus. Percy had originally wished us not to reveal this secret to anyone, even the Olympus, but it seems he has come to trust you as well." Taking a deep breath, Zeus continued, "Percy was our greatest ally during the First War. He served as our strategist before each battle and was the one to subdue Atlas. "

Gasps filled the throne room. Athena was even more confused than before. "How is that possible? We were told that the Hesperides were neutral during the Titan War and that Atlas gave up after Kronos was defeated."

Percy snorted. "As if my father would actually give up without a fight. No, those were simply myths to conceal the fact that I was on the side of the gods."

Having thousands of questions that raced through her mind, Athena opened her mouth to ask more questions, but Percy cut her off with the wave of a hand. "Please, it would be much easier to explain if you all would just look through my memories."

All brimming with curiosity, the younger gods quickly stripped the barriers of Percy's mind, scanning through his mind. A series of flashbacks went through their heads.

_The six children of Kronos and Rhea stood in a circle, arguing loudly about the best strategy to implement. Losing severely in each battle, the gods were all frustrated and losing hope in their chances of victory. After hours of discussion that lead to nowhere, Poseidon slammed his trident on the ground in frustration, "We have no hope. It's been three years, and we haven't won a single battle. Our power is gradually decreasing. We're better off just surrendering."_

_Before Zeus could yell at his brother, a mysterious voice interrupted them, "That is because you are going about this war the wrong way. You're bound to fail if you don't change strategies quickly."_

_Offended by those words, Zeus yelled, "Who goes there? Reveal yourself, or you shall taste my bolt. And it will be your last sensation."_

_A mysterious figure, cloaked in black with a bow strapped on his back, emerged from the shadows. Pulling off the cloak that covered his face and body, the three daughters of Kronos and Rhea gasped, visibly blushing at the man's handsome appearance. In a calm voice, the man introduced himself, "My name is Percy, my lord. I am a child of Atlas and one of the six Hesperides. I assure you, Lord Zeus, I am only here to help you. The Titans have been tyrannical rulers and must be stopped."_

_Zeus narrowed his bolt, leveling his bolt at Percy's face. "The son of a Titan, huh? You are arrogant for coming here and mocking our battle skills. How can we be so sure that you aren't simply a spy for your father?"_

_Ignoring the fact Zeus distrusted him for being the son of a Titan when he was one himself, Percy knelt at Zeus's feet and Percy said solemnly, "I, Perseus, son of Atlas, swear on the River Styx to stay on the side of the gods for the duration of the war and never deceit them in anyway. I swear to offer all my services to the gods and never back down in the face of danger. With this oath, I surrender myself to the gods and their will."_

_Thunder rumbled in the background, sealing the deal. Slowly, Zeus lowered his bolt but never stopped glaring at Percy. Hestia placed her hand on Zeus's shoulder. "Peace, brother. The boy has just swore an unbreakable oath to stay on our side. Let him talk. As the son of the Titan army's general, he may know a thing or two that we don't." At the touch of Hestia's hand, Zeus calmed down considerably. Unable to argue against his sister's logic, Zeus grudgingly nodded for Percy to continue._

_"Well, first off, you must first work on working together. Your weapons you received from the Cyclops and the Hekatonkheires are extremely powerful, but will only be able to overwhelm the Titans when used together. If you are to continue to argue as you have been, then you have no hope as to defeat Kronos. In addition, you must limit battles to very short periods of time. The fact of the matter is that the Titans are more skilled in combat than you are. In order to ensure victory, you must overcome them quickly before they have the chance to strike back and sway the battle to their side. Stealth and surprise attacks are essential to your success," lectured Percy logically._

_Zeus nodded slowly, considering Percy's advice deeply. Before he could say anything, Hades cut him off. "I do not enjoy the idea of working together with my stubborn siblings, but it seems to be our only hope of winning this war. Perhaps my powers over the shadows can also come into use."_

_Poseidon took an instant liking to this young man. He also expressed his approval. "You seem to be an intelligent man, Percy. I do not enjoy conceding that we were wrong, but this plan seems a lot better than anything else we have come up with."_

_Demeter was the next to speak. "Perhaps, we have been going about this the wrong way. Thank you for shedding a new beam of hope in this war of turmoil."_

_Hestia smiled vibrantly. "I'm not much for tricks or fighting in general, but I will do anything to avenge Kronos for the pain he has brought to this family."_

_Hera simply nodded, before urging Zeus to accept the plan. With everyone's attention upon him, Zeus sighed loudly before saying, "It seems that I have no choice but to accept this plan if I wish to not defy my family. Perhaps, this plan will mark the turning point of the war and begin the age of glory for the gods."_

_Hestia's smile extended. "Seeing my family come together this way brings tears in my eyes. Percy, you have only been here for a few minutes and you have already changed us for the better. I think I speak for the rest of us when I say that we are happy to accept you on our side._

_Murmurs of agreement could be heard from the gods, making Percy blush. "Please, it is no trouble. I hold much disdain towards my father and the Titans, so it is my pleasure to aid in their destruction," said Percy._

_Narrowing his eyes, Zeus asked, "You will aid in the fighting, correct? You aren't here just to act as a battle strategist?"_

_"Of course. I have a few tricks up my sleeve," replied Percy before taking out his bow and shooting a perfect circle of arrows into the nearby wall rapidly with more skill in archery than anyone the gods had ever seen. In awe, the gods watched Percy strap his bow back in place calmly as if nothing extraordinary had just happened. Percy's face turned serious. "However, if I am to fight, I must ask you to promise on the River Styx to uphold my wish."_

_Seeing Percy's prowess as a fighter and strategist, Zeus was downright desperate for his help at this point. Swallowing his pride, Zeus said, "Fine. In the name of the gods, we swear by the River Styx to grant your reasonable request as long as it is within our power."_

_Satisfied with Zeus's oath, Percy said, "I must wear this cloak to conceal my identity from my father. If he found out that I had joined the gods, he will take out his anger on me and my sisters. I am willing to take his wrath, but I do not wish to put my sisters at harm. I need you all to never reveal my true identity to the Titans. That is my only request."_

_Zeus nodded immediately, glad that Percy's request wasn't difficult to uphold at all. Raising his voice, Zeus boomed, "With the fulfillment of this promise, we have gained a powerful, new ally. Let us attack now. The night is still young, and we will show the Titans the consequences of challenging. the gods."_

_The gods roared in response before Hades took them all in a shadow to Mount Othrys, where the Titans lay._

* * *

_Percy was currently locked in combat with Atlas in a fight battle. After the addition of Percy to the side of the gods, the war began to swing in their favor. Due to Percy's strategies and fighting skills, The Titans lost more and more energy as the war progressed. Through all the battles and time spent together, the gods had all warmed up to Percy's charm and kindness towards those he cared about. Even Hades and Zeus considered Percy a member of their family and welcomed Percy warmly whenever he sneaked away from his father and sisters to join them in battle. After years of continuous planning and war, the gods had come through and subdued the Titans until only Atlas remained. Sensing that Percy's fight with his father was a personal matter, the gods stood to the side, willing to jump at moment's notice._

_Atlas narrowed his eyes in anger as Percy managed to get another strike on him with his hunting knife. "You have caused us a lot of grief, mysterious figure, but this ends now, I don't care that my brethren have all fallen; I will not back down until my javelin has poured your ichor on the ground," yelled Atlas before retaliating with a barrow of his own powerful strikes._

_Percy didn't respond in fear that his father might recognize his voice. Instead, he focused on the fight, effectively dodging all of Atlas's strikes. Atlas cried in frustration that this man was able to avoid all of his attacks with such grace and ease. "Why must you always hide yourself in that cloak? Are you so unattractive that you must conceal yourself," taunted Atlas. The gods on the side laughed silently at his words, for Percy was anything but unattractive._

_The battle continued, heating up with intensity as father and son exchanged strikes. Although Percy continued to hold the upper hand, Atlas, as the Titan of Endurance, kept on fighting, occasionally getting a hit on Percy. Noticing his own power start to decline while Atlas's power was still going strong, Percy knew he had to do something he refrained from doing the whole war._

_Suddenly, Percy vanished in a shadow, surprising Atlas greatly. In his surprise, Atlas didn't notice Percy had reappeared behind him. Before he could respond, Atlas was smacked in the back of the head with the hilt of Percy's hunting knife. Atlas crumpled onto the floor unconscious while the gods rushed over to Percy, embracing him in a tight hug. Percy laughed happily as his six closest friends celebrated the final end of the war and congratulated him for his victory. The gods finally prevailed and the future looked bright._

_Many cheers arose over the gods before Zeus asked Percy, "Why did you use your powers over the shadows? Your father now knows your identity." The gods were all silenced as they were also curious of Percy's answer._

_Still in a cheerful mood, Percy joked, "Hopefully, I hit him hard enough in the head for him to forget." Noticing that the joke didn't work to ease the gods, Percy rolled his eyes before saying, "Surely, you all realize that this is an easy fix. Have you all forgotten that Hera has the ability to remove a person's memory? While he is unconscious, Hera can just erase his memory of the final moment out of Atlas's head."_

_Many were relieved by Percy's explanation while they mentally berated themselves for not coming up with the idea themselves.. Percy and the gods continued to celebrate while Hera flashed over to Atlas's body. Touching a head on his head, Hera effectively wiped Atlas's memory of the final moment and replaced it to seem as if Percy had won by overpowering him. However, when Hera pulled back, she seemed to be deep in thought as if she was worried about something. She was shaken out of her thoughts when Percy told her to come join to the celebration. Putting on a smile, Hera forgot whatever she was worrying about._

* * *

_Percy stood on Mount Olympus, in a throne room that only contained five thrones. The gods sat in their thrones while Zeus talked to Percy with a nervous expression on his face. "Percy, I have brought you here to deliver some grave news. After many discussions, we have decided to confine your sisters to a garden containing my wedding gift to Hera, the Apples of Immortality. Please, you must understand our decision. Many children of the Titans still hold ill-will towards the gods. They cannot be allowed to roam around freely. Unfortunately, we cannot trust your sisters despite your actions in the war," said Zeus, trying not to offend Percy._

_An expression of hurt and sadness came over Percy's face, but he quickly suppressed his emotions. Although not happy with the decision, Percy understood their actions. "Calm down, Zeus. You know I could never be angry with any of you. I understand that this action is necessary. If my sisters are pardoned, then all the other Titans will try to get freedom as well."_

_Zeus and the gods released sighs of relief, glad that Percy wasn't angry with any of them. Quickly, a grin overtook Zeus's face. He said, "There is another reason why we have called you here Percy. After much discussion, we have also decided that we wish you to join us on the Olympian Council. After all you have done for us, we wish to welcome you onto Olympus with open arms. So do you accept?"_

_The gods waited excitedly for Percy to accept so that he could join them on Olympus. Their excitement soon turned into shock when Percy said, "I'm sorry, but I cannot accept."_

_Noticing the looks of shock on the gods's faces, Percy continued, "Although nothing would make me happier to be a part of the Olympian Council and join my friends in this palace forever, I wish to join my siblings in the garden. I can't turn my back on my family, who I have love more than my own life. I thank you for the generous offer, but I must decline."_

_Surprisingly, Zeus just smiled as he realized how much it was in within Percy's character to decline such power and respect for those he cares about. "We understand, but surely we must still offer you a favor to repay for our debts," said Zeus._

_Percy replied, "If you wish to make me happy, then simply continue to keep the oath from when I first met you. Never reveal my involvement in the war to anyone, even future gods. That is all I ask."_

_Zeus nodded before he smiled sadly. "This is goodbye then."_

_Percy nodded sadly. "Yes, I will miss you all dearly. The past several years during the Titan War have been the best times of my life, and I thank you for that. Feel free to visit me anytime."_

_With those final words, the gods all embraced Percy separately before he walked out of the throne room._

* * *

As the gods exited Percy's mind, many stared at Percy in shock. Not only had he had saved the gods in their time of need and was a key part in their success, but he had also rejected all the glory and power that come with being on the Olympian Council. None was more shocked than Artemis, who had not believed that men were capable of such acts of selflessness. Ares was the first to speak. "Wow, so the punk's some kind of big-shot hero. Who would've guessed."

Ignoring Ares, Hermes said, "Percy, you never told me you were the savior of Olympus during our talks. Forgive me for saying that I feel slightly offended that you'd keep such a big secret from me."

Percy bowed his head in apology. "I'm sorry, Hermes, but I needed to ensure that my secret was never revealed to the wrong people, especially my father. If he ever found out, even the sky wouldn't stop him from hurting me and those closest to me. I trust that all of you will keep this information never leaves this room," said Percy, looking accusingly at Ares. Ares simply shrugged his shoulders but kept a mental note to keep his mouth shut if he didn't want to incur the wrath of the gods nodded quickly, promising to not disclose any information.

Changing the topic, Athena said, "Now that we've all been introduced to Percy, I must ask Artemis why she brought him here to the council in chains. Judging by his actions, it doesn't seem like he would be a threat to Olympus. Quite the opposite, really."

Shrugging her shoulders, Artemis responded, "I found him in a fight with some hellhounds as his sister laid unconscious nearby. As I took care of his sister and sent her to my Hunters' camp, he introduced himself as a son of a Titan. Naturally, my first instinct was to bring him to Olympus to determine his fate. How was I supposed to know he some great hero from the Titan War?"

Demeter narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Percy, why were you wandering around outside of the garden fighting hellhounds? I thought you wanted to stick with your family."

Pain was evident in Percy's eyes. "My sister, Zoë, and I were banished from our home by our father after the events with Heracles. We were left to travel through a large forest with no clue of what to do."

Demeter's smile visibly brightened. "Since you're free from that garden, maybe you could finally join us on the council. These meetings would be a lot more tolerable with you here," Demeter said hopefully while others nodded enthusiastically to the idea.

Percy smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Demeter, but my priorities still haven't changed. My sister means everything to me, and I would never leave her to be an Olympian."

Demeter nodded, visibly disappointed. "I can't say that I'm surprised. With all the times you spoke of her during the war, it's obvious to see how much you care for your sister."

The Olympians pondered deeply on what Percy could do now that he was banished from his home. Suddenly, Athena came up with an idea, "With how Heracles broke her heart, Zoë would probably find the hunters of Artemis extremely appealing."

Artemis nodded. "Yes, she would make a fine huntress. But what does this have to do with Percy?" asked Artemis, confused.

"Although men are not normally allowed on the hunt, perhaps Percy could act as a guardian. That way he could stay near his sister, and he would have something to do other than wandering around aimlessly," responded Athena.

Artemis glared at her half-sister. Before she could retort with some colorful words, Zeus said, "Yes, I agree. Percy is an excellent hunter and would fit into Artemis's hunt well as a guardian. That idea seems to be the best option for Percy and for Artemis."

Artemis gaped at her father in shock before an angry expression took over her face. "Father, you cannot be serious. You can't expect me to accept the protection of a male."

"A hot and caring male," added Aphrodite, still staring at Percy lustfully.

"No matter. He could be the hottest male in all of existence, for all I care. Adding him to the hunt would go against I've stood for. Completely unacceptable," Artemis yelled.

Percy flinched in pain from Artemis's comments. He didn't understand why, seeing that he just met her, but Percy cared deeply about Artemis's opinion of me and desperately wanted to impress her. Noticing his friend's quick display of hurt, Zeus responded with just as much force. "You are just being ridiculous, daughter. Percy is the best person I've ever known in personality and loyalty. Surely, you may make an exception for him."

"Me! Ridiculous? If anything, you're the one being ridiculous by forcing me to go against all my beliefs."

"Is it ridiculous for a father to wish for his daughter's safety?! Artemis, you are the only god who constantly visits the mortal world in search of monsters. I need to ensure that you will be safe."

Artemis's pride was offended at her father's insistence that she required protection. "I have taken care of myself perfectly fine for the past few centuries. What have I done for you to doubt my ability to protect myself?"

"You never know when a foe may prove too difficult for even you to handle, Artemis. You may not know it, but I constantly worry about you when you're on your journeys with your hunt. My conscious will be eased greatly knowing that Percy, one of the best fighters I've ever known, is there to protect you."

Hearing her father's rare display of affection, Artemis was at a lost of words. Knowing she was losing the argument, she said the first thing she could think of. "But he is a male. Surely, he would join the hunt under the pretense of being a guardian so that he can flirt with my hunters."

Deeply offended by her accusation, Percy walked over to Artemis and stared at her defiantly. "That is enough, Lady Artemis. You may call me stupid, cowardly, or anything else, but never accuse me of being a lustful male who flirts with every female he sees. After all the males who used to come into the garden, I have seen enough vile men try to advance on my sisters to know that I never wish to be like them. Shamelessly flirting with no consideration for the girl's feelings is exactly what that bastard Heracles did to my sister, and I promised myself that I would never become what Heracles is."

Noticing that Artemis was in some state of shock, Percy continued, "Lady Artemis, I swear on the River Styx that if you accept this oath, I will serve you faithfully with everything that I have to offer. I will always value your health above mine and courageously face any danger that threatens the safety of the hunt. I will follow your orders without any questioning until my last breath. If I may fail in my task, release me from my duties and let my failure be known to all so that I am ridiculed wherever I go. With this oath, I give myself to Lady Artemis. Her wish will be my command."

Thunder shook the throne room, sealing the deal. Artemis could only continue to gape at the man in front of her. Throughout the day, Percy had continuously surprise her with his action towards his sister, his refusal of Aphrodite's advances, his role in the Titan War, and now his binding oath towards her. Noticing the expectant looks on all the faces of the Olympians, Artemis realized she had no choice but to accept at this point. Sighing begrudgingly, she said, "I accept. Meet me at the Folóï oak forest if you wish to follow through with your oath. But I must warn you, if you do come, your life will be a living Underworld." With that ominous threat, Artemis disappeared in a flash of light.

Seeing his daughter leave, Zeus announced, "Council dismissed." Hephaestus broke the chains of Percy's wrists before most of the Olympians soon left in their own flash of light. Some went over to give Percy one last hug until Apollo was the only one left in the empty throne room with Percy. Frowning deeply, Apollo looked much different from the joking, cheerful Apollo Percy had met a few minutes ago. Gesturing for Percy to come over to him, Apollo said seriously, "As her guardian, you must protect my sister at all costs. If anything happens to her, you will feel the the consequences. Am I understood?

Unwilling to get on the bad side of a god, Percy nodded profusely. "Of course, Lord Apollo. I would never allow Artemis to be harmed under my protection."

To his surprise, Apollo smiled brightly in response. "Sorry if I scared you, Percy. I had to play the overprotective brother role for a moment there to ensure that she would be safe. You're a good kid, Percy. Since I can't protect her myself, I trust you above anyone else to protect Artemis."

"Thank you, Lord Apollo. I will assure you that your trust isn't misplaced," said Percy.

"I sure you will, Percy," said Apollo. "Come on, I'll bring you to my sister's camp. I noticed, she didn't leave you with many directions."

In a golden light, Apollo took Percy's hand and flashed them over to the forest where Artemis's camp was. He found himself in a large infirmary tent, where Zoë lay by herself in deep slumber. Percy immediately rushed over to her and took her hand. She seemed to be in much condition than she was previously. He would have to thank Artemis and the hunters later for that. Apollo's voice interrupted his thoughts. "I'll leave you to take care of your sister. And don't worry about Artemis. Her pride was just wounded, that's all. I'm sure she'll warm up to you sooner or later."

Apollo flashed out, leaving Percy alone with Zoë. The light caused Zoë to wake up suddenly. Rubbing her eyes, she looked to the side to see Percy with a worried expression on his face. Laughing at his expression, Zoë said, "Lighten up, Percy. I woke up a little bit earlier and the hunter taking care of me explained everything. She said I'll be perfectly fine. Honestly, you worry too much."

Percy sighed in relief. Looking into his sister's eyes, he said, "Zoë, I have to apologize for my actions. I was being an inconsiderate jerk after you had just experience heartbreak and I shouldn't have you left in that forest and-"

Zoë cut him off with a wave her hand. "It is I who must apologize, brother. I should have listened to you when you warned me of Heracles and got us kicked out of our home. My foolish actions have caused us to be left in this world with no clue of what to do. Your anger was warranted, and you shouldn't feel guilty about anything."

Percy took his sister in a warm embrace. "Promise me, we'll never be separated again," said Zoë.

"I don't think you have to worry about that. With what happened at the throne room, we'll be stuck with each other for a long time," responded Percy. At his sister's questioning face, Percy retold everything that happened during the meeting except for the story of his involvement in the Titan War. He would tell her at a later time.

Zoë was impressed. "Wow, Percy, you have a lot of courage to take such an oath. But the Hunters of Artemis does sound like a great place for us. The Hunters have all been so kind to me and I'm sure that they'll warm up to you eventually."

Pointing to a bed next to her, Zoë said, "I'll accept my place on the Hunt tomorrow, but for now let's rest. It's been a long day."

Percy hopped in the bed, happy to finally get some rest. The two siblings quickly fell asleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, Artemis was talking to her Hunters, who were crowding around her in a circle. "Girls, I have some grave news. A boy will be joining the Hunt under my father's wishes. He has been given the role of guardian to protect us during our journeys"

Artemis was instantly bombarded by questions as the Hunters all raised their voice in protest. With the wave of her hand, they all fell silent. Artemis smirked slyly. "Since my father commanded it and he made an oath, there isn't much we can do to refute the decision. But, that doesn't mean we can't drive the boy away. Hunters, I grant you full permission to make that boy's life hell. I swear, by the end of next week, that boy will be gone if he knows what's good for him."

The Hunters grinned deviously, all planning on various ways to get rid of the boy.

* * *

**AN: Wow, you guys will not believe how long this chapter took to write. This was originally all going to be a part of the third chapter, but when I got to the part with the flashbacks, I realized that the chapter would be way too long. Anyways, I hope you guys liked the part where Percy gets introduced to the gods. I know it wasn't necessary and it ran a little long, but I wanted to give every Olympian a little spotlight. I tried to give them each a little personality and show what they were like. Also, I hope Percy's background was a surprise to you all. I assure you that his role in the Titan War isn't just a meaningless plot point and will become very important later on the story. And just to clarify for those who may be confused, Percy is still mortal even though he is technically part of the Hunt and Zoë doesn't know about Percy's secret yet. She still thinks that all the Hesperides were all neutral. **

**Please review, favorite, and follow if you haven't already. I really want to see your thoughts about this chapter as well as any suggestions of where this story should go. Feel free to ask any questions you have too. See you guys later. **


	5. Chapter 5: The Hunters

**AN: Alright, I have to address this before the story starts. A lot of you guys have complained and expressed concern over Artemis's behavior in the reviews, calling her unnecessarily rude and mean towards Percy. I understand where you guys are coming from, but her actions are perfectly understandable in my opinion. I mentioned before that I dislike it when Artemis is portrayed as cruel towards all men for no real reason, but in this case, she has justification.**

**By receiving a guardian to look after her, Artemis thinks her father is basically stating that she is too weak to take care of herself. Artemis is a goddess who always prided herself on her independence and ability to fight and gaining Percy as a guardian is a huge hit to her ego. Basically, she's angry at Zeus and taking out her anger on Percy. In addition, Artemis isn't afraid to harm or even kill males as seen through examples in Greek mythology. She severely distrusts the entire male species, so Percy's entrance into the hunt brings out a natural inclination to hate him. Lastly, Artemis is confused by Percy's actions. It's never explicitly stated in previous chapters, but Artemis finds Percy much too respectable for a male and a complete exception to all her previous beliefs. Unwilling to give up on her prejudices, she treats Percy like she would any other male.**

**I hope that makes sense, and feel free to PM me or add reviews if you have further questions. Now, on to the story.**

* * *

Chapter 5

Percy woke up to the sight of sixteen arrows in his face. Even more intimidating than the arrows, however, were the sixteen glares sent towards him by a group of girls who all appeared to be no older than thirteen. Each wore silver chitons similar to the one Artemis was wearing when he first encountered her and bronze throwing knives strapped along their waist. All in all, the Hunters of Artemis were quite intimidating.

Having just woken up and surprised with a near-death situation, Percy was mentally frazzled. Unable to think straight, he said something really intelligent like, "Um ... Hi, I'm Percy, the guardian."

A tall girl with bright blue eyes and long dark hair stepped forward gracefully. Unlike the other hunters, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her hair. Glaring intensely, she said in a cold voice, "We know who you are, _boy_, and we are not pleased with your presence."

Looking around at the hunters, who still had their arrows pointing at his face, Percy replied, "Yeah, I kind of figured that out already."

Another girl, who appeared to very buff and well-muscled for a girl, spoke out. "He shows disrespect. We should feed him to the wolves."

Shaking her head sorrowfully, the lead girl said, "Not yet, Phoebe. He still needs to prove himself." Turning her attention back to Percy, the girl continued, "You will do well to cut out that sarcastic tone with us, boy. I am Myrine, daughter of Apollo and lieutenant of the Hunt. I will accept nothing but respect, understood?"

Not willing to anger her, Percy nodded solemnly. Soon, all the other Hunters began to introduce themselves, each one as cold as the last. Once they were all done, Percy looked to the side and noticed his sister was no longer in her bed. Panicking slightly, Percy asked, "It's truly an honor to meet all of you, but where is my sister? She was with me last night."

"Zoë is currently with Lady Artemis," responded Myrine. "She has already pledged the oath. Artemis is teaching her of the ways of a Hunter and giving her a tour of the camp."

Relieved that Zoë wasn't in any trouble, Percy released a sigh of relief. "That's nice. Will I be receiving this tour, as well?"

Scrunching up her nose, as if the very idea of talking to him was disgusting, Myrine cried out, "Absolutely not. Lady Artemis has given us a list of jobs you must complete. We will supervise you to ensure that you have completed all your tasks."

Shoving the marble slate containing all of Percy's tasks into his face, Myrine watched in glee as Percy let out a cry of shock at the long list. After reading everything he had to do, Percy asked, "Wash all the plates? Make 1,000 arrows? How is one man expected to do all this in one day?"

Myrine rolled her eyes in contempt. "Well, sitting here complaining about it certainly won't help. You can start by preparing breakfast. There are a lot of edible plants that grow out in the forest."

Percy was about to go but then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wait, how is any of this my responsibility?" Percy asked. "Lord Zeus gave me the role of a guardian to protect Artemis and the Hunters during combat, not to complete a variety of daily tasks."

"Lady Artemis told us that you swore to obey Artemis's every command. This is her command," replied Myrine slyly.

Silently cursing him for his words, Percy relented. The hunters finally put away their bows, giving him room to leave. As Percy left the infirmary tent, the hunters grinned evilly to each other, already planning how to torture Percy next.

* * *

Percy stepped outside, finally getting a breath of fresh air. As he walked to the tent with all of the supplies, Percy marveled at the structure of the camp. Each hunter had their own tent, which were all made out of silver silk. A large bonfire blazed in the middle of the camp as the tents were all curved in a crescent around one side of the bonfire. Tables, archery ranges, and more tents were set up on the other side of the bonfire. A dozen wolves the color of the moon circled the camp out of the woods. As Percy walked by the wolves, they glared at him with their large red eyes but did not attack since Artemis probably told them about him. Falcons were also perched on the trees, analyzing their surroundings for any cases of danger. Snow fell lightly onto the ground, covering the grass with a soft, white color.

Percy exited the camp into the forest, where he found an even more beautiful sight. Trees and flowers of all colors spread throughout the camp, reminding Percy of his old home in the Garden of the Hesperides. Using his old experience as a hunter, Percy looked through the plants to find ones that were edible. He was happy to find a wide variety of plants available, including purslane, chicory, and wood sorrel. Satisfied with his findings, Percy plucked a large amount of the plants out of the ground before walking back to camp.

Upon his return, he noticed the hunters were already gathered around the dining tables, laughing and talking animatedly. Avoiding the hunters, Percy laid out the food on a large table. Using the celestial bronze knives he always carried, he cut out the edible parts of the plants before discarding all the nasty roots and stems. With his water powers, he summoned some of the water from the local lake and took out all the harmful contents. Percy found a large bowl on the table to place the water in. Walking over to the bonfire, Percy held the bowl of water over the fire until it started to boil. He then put in all the plants into the bowl, effectively boiling the plants and bringing out their flavor. Trying not to interrupt the conversation, Percy walked over quietly to the tables with the hunters and gave each hunter a sufficient amount of the boiled plants. After dividing the plants evenly among the hunters, Percy grabbed a piece of chicory for himself and turned around.

As soon as Percy sat on the ground to enjoy his chicory silently, he heard Myrine yelp out for more food. His eyes widened in surprise as he stood up and saw that the hunters had already finished all the plants he found. Sighing loudly, Percy walked back into the forest to find more plants. But just like before, the hunters finished all the plants in a matter of seconds. After a few more cycles of the same thing, Percy began to notice the white wolves under the table, licking their lips happily. The little devils must have just fed the wolves the food he made, so that he would have to keep on walking back to the forest and finding more plants. As he was able to point out the wolves, Percy saw the glare that Myrine was sending him and decided to let the issue go. Finally, the hunters decided that they had enough of torturing him and announced they were done before walking over to the archery ranges to practice. Percy let out a sigh of relief and looked down at the next job assigned to him.

The next few jobs turned out to be just as terrible as the first. When Percy reported to the lake for his next job, he found several stacks of plates that were even taller than he was. It seemed like the hunters had taken all the plates they had owned and purposefully spread dirt on them so that he would have more work. As if that wasn't enough, some of the dishes also had a weird brown substance that simply wouldn't come off unless a large amount of force was used to scrub the substance off. Two hours of torture had passed before Percy completely finished cleaning and drying all the dishes. Standing up, Percy stretched out all his limbs after hunching over for so long and started to take a walk in the forest to clear his mend. His few moments of relaxation were interrupted by Myrine, who ever-so kindly told him it was time for lunch.

Lunch went exactly the same as breakfast. Using his bow and arrows, Percy was able to hunt down a few squirrels for a sufficient lunch. After cutting out the inedible parts and boiling the meat, Percy served the hunters their food, only taking a small leg for himself. Once again, the devious hunters fed the squirrel meat to the wolves and Percy had to repeatedly walk back to the forest to find more food. Anger at the hunter's abuse of his servitude began to boil up inside Percy, but he did not dare to anger Artemis or the hunters.

Moving on to his next job, which was making arrows, Percy was relieved to find something he excelled at. After centuries of practice, Percy had become an expert at all things related to archery, including making arrows. Gathering enough sticks, pointed rocks, and feathers for 1,000 arrows, he went to work. Percy made each stick a sufficient length, sharpened the rocks whit his sharpening stone, cut each feather along the center for improved accuracy, and glued all the separate parts together with a mixture of flowers and water. The process soon became mechanical as Percy rapidly made arrows mindlessly. After using up all his supplies, Percy looked up at the pile of arrows he made. Expecting to see 1,000 arrows, Percy was shocked to find not even 500 stacked up in the pile. Analyzing his surroundings, Percy found a large stack of the arrows he recently made in the hands of the hunters. Instead of using the arrows for practical purposes, the hunters simply broke them in half. Once they noticed that Percy was glaring at them, Myrine looked directly into his eyes and broke another arrow while wearing a smirk, taunting him to say something. His anger continued to grow, but Percy maintained self-restraint and continued to make arrows.

* * *

Somehow, the day continued to get progressively worse. By the time Percy was on his last job, which was to wash the hunters's clothes, he was on the verge of collapse. He cursed the hunters silently as he hunched over to clean each piece of clothing separately, trying to release the stress of all the work he had to do today. A voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I hope that's not my hunters you're cursing, boy," called out an all-too familiar voice.

Percy looked up, completely startled. Artemis stood to the side with a hand on her hip, glaring at Percy harshly. Just looking at Artemis made Percy's heart skip a beat as she simply radiated beautiful and grace. Reminding himself that she was a maiden goddess and that he should not be having such thoughts, Percy quickly bowed and tried to think of a lie to cover up his tracks. But after looking into Artemis's bright eyes, Percy found himself unable to lie. "Yes, I was cursing your hunters," he said truthfully. "And for that, I must apologize. The hunters have been terrorizing me the entire day by sabotaging me while I worked, and I let my anger get the best of me. In any case, it was wrong for me to disrespect your hunters." Percy looked at the ground sadly before saying, "I just simply don't understand what I have done to deserve their hatred and hostility. For some reason, I feel like they want to get rid of me."

Seeing his sadness, Artemis felt a sense of guilt overwhelm her heart. Despite what the other Olympians thought, she wasn't heartless or emotionless when it came to males. Looking at Percy's frustration and despair, Artemis started to doubt her actions. In her mind: she thought: What did Percy do wrong to offend me? Was I wrong to allow the hunters treat him so harshly? Burdened by such thoughts, Artemis toned down her coldness a little bit. "Each hunter has had horrifying experiences with males before joining the hunt. It is only natural for them to distrust you at first. I'm sure your sister would act the same way if she encountered a male other than you," justified Artemis.

At the mention of Zoë, Percy visibly brightened. It was obvious to see how much Percy loved his sister. "How was she today? Will she fit into the Hunt?" asked Percy.

"I'm certain Zoë will make a fine huntress," replied Artemis, smiling a little. "I taught her everything she needed to know about being a huntress today, and she understood everything perfectly. She is wonderful at archery and seems to already got along with the other hunters. I suppose I have you to thank for teaching her archery so wonderfully."

A large smile spread across Percy's face. "My lady, that was the first time you ever complimented me," said Percy enthusiastically.

Offended by Percy's grin, Artemis retained her cold glare. "Don't get used to it, boy. Now get back to work and don't ever let me catch you insulting my hunters again."

As Artemis stomped away, Percy could only continue to smile at finally getting Artemis to talk to him without hostility. Artemis looked so beautiful when she wasn't glaring at him, he thought before returning back to the clothes.

* * *

At dinner, Percy finally got to see his sister for the first time that day. Zoë was sitting with the other hunters, laughing and smiling at the conversation. When she noticed him, Zoë waved at him enthusiastically, gesturing for him to sit next to her. Percy walked over hesitantly, not sure if he should sit with the other hunters. As he sat down next to Zoë, Percy was surprised to find the hunters all smiling at him wildly. He was confused as to why these people who were torturing him the whole day were now suddenly treated him like family, but then he noticed the cold glint in each of the hunters's eyes. He realized that they must have not wanted to upset Zoë, so they were willing to put a hold on their torture and treat him nicely for once.

Once he sat down, Myrine greeted him with a fake smile, "How nice of you to join us, Percy. I look forward to getting to know you more."

Zoë smiled largely, fooled by Myrine's act of kindness. "Percy, this is Myrine, the lieutenant," she said.

Percy nodded. "Yes, I've already had the pleasure of meeting her," responded Percy, trying not to sound too bitter.

Looking around, Percy noticed that Artemis was apparently gone. "Where is Lady Artemis?" he asked. "Doesn't she usually eat with the hunters?"

"She is fulfilling her duties as the moon goddess. Since it is winter, Apollo gets lazy and Artemis has to fly her moon chariot earlier. She won't be back until much later," responded Zoë. "Artemis left a deer for us to eat, however."

"I will go prepare it, then," said Percy, standing up to go find the deer.

Still putting up the kindness act, Myrine smiled and said, "I'll go help him."

Zoë nodded and returned back to conversation with the other hunters. Myrine followed Percy to the bonfire, where he found the deer and already started to cut up the deer. Finally alone with Percy, Myrine reverted back to her old self. "I hope you realize that I'm only being kind to you for your sister's sake. This changes nothing," said Myrine while glaring. "After this, I'll go right back to making your life miserable."

Rolling his eyes, Percy replied sarcastically, "I look forward to it."

Myrine narrowed her eyes in anger. "You better watch out, boy, because this is only the beginning."

Percy just continued to work, ignoring Myrine's threats and glares. Walking back with the finished deer on a plate, Percy tried to ignore the fact that Myrine kept stepping on the back of his sandals **(AN: Don't you hate it when people do that?)**. When they reached the table, Myrine put her smile back on and Percy laid the food on the table, relieved when the hunters actually started to eat the deer instead of feeding it to the wolves.

Once he sat down, Phoebe said, "Percy, I noticed you and Zoë seem really close. I've never seen siblings as close as you two."

Surprised that a hunter was actually talking to him without contempt, Percy responded hesitantly, "Yeah, we've been together since birth. She has always been my closest friend and sister. I wouldn't let anything happen to her. She's all I have left since our father banished us."

Phoebe nodded, feeling a sense of warmth of their close relationship. The hunters had all heard about how Percy and Zoë were banished from their home and smiled sympathetically at Percy. Noticing the other hunters smile, Myrine glared at all of them, silently reminding them that Percy was still an untrustworthy male. Zoë smiled appreciatively, giving her brother a small hug.

The rest of dinner went rather smoothly as the hunters complimented Percy on the deer and even laughed at some of his jokes. Percy smiled, realizing that the hunters weren't so bad when they weren't yelling at him. Myrine remained silent, cursing Percy in her head for being able to charm the hunters. After dinner, Percy and Zoë excused themselves to go talk privately.

Once they were gone, Myrine glared at all the hunters. "What the hell was that?"

Another hunter named Sophia shrugged. "Just making conversation. He seems like a decent male."

Xenia, another hunter, agreed. "Yeah, maybe we were too hard on him."

Myrine continued to glare. "Do I have to remind you all that Lady Artemis told us to get rid of him? He may seem decent right now, but inside he is just like all other males. Selfish, no-good, arrogant."

Turning to Sophia, she asked, "How did you feel when your boyfriend cheated on you and left you for someone else?" Myrine then looked at Xenia, "And you, Xenia. How did you feel when your stepfather abused you and killed your mother?"

The hunters all looked down in shame. Xenia spoke up, "I'm sorry, Myrine. We were just disillusioned. It won't happen again."

Myrine smiled in pride. "Good, I'm glad you've all come to your senses. Now, come on. We have to figure out on getting rid of that boy."

* * *

Percy and Zoë walked along the forest, shooting arrows at targets and laughing like old times. After a while, they grew tired and laid on the forest floor, gazing up at the stars above. They both have always had fascinations with the stars, enjoying their bright glow and the constellations they formed. Sighing happily, Zoë told Percy, "I'm so happy we found this place. Lady Artemis is so kind to provide us with a new home. Everyone is so nice, and the hunters seem to be warming up to you."

Noticing his sister's happiness, Percy decided to not tell her about everything they did to him today. Instead, he simply nodded. A calming silence overwhelmed the two siblings, causing Zoë to fall asleep. Looking over at Zoë, Percy smiled at how peaceful and content she looked. At that moment, he decided that he would suffer through a million of the hunters's pranks just to see his sister so happy.

* * *

**AN: I'm sorry this chapter may not seem as interesting as the previous ones and a little cliche. It focused mostly on the interactions between the hunters and Percy, but I had to add that little Artemis moment. Just to clarify, Artemis is having doubts of treating Percy so harshly. Her reaction in the last chapter was more in-the moment, and she's starting to come to her senses. Percy still confuses her, and she isn't sure how to act towards him anymore. The sexist part of her still wants to be mean and hostile, but the other side is softened by Percy's acts of dedication and compassion. As you'll see in the next few chapters, she will start to lean towards the other side. Anyways, Myrine is the current lieutenant who seems to downright hate Percy with all her heart. She will become very important later, so make sure to take note of her actions. Lastly, I just wanted to thank you guys for helping this story reach above 200 favorites and 300 follows. I have another Percy Jackson story up called Redefined Loyalties, so check that out if you guys can. Keep being awesome and I'll see you guys later. **


	6. Chapter 6: Blooming Friendship

**AN: Hey guys, I'm finally back after the longest absence I've ever taken. The past month of my life has consisted almost completely of finals and AP tests, leaving me with almost no time to continue any of my stories. I'm truly sorry for the long wait, and I can't thank all of you enough for your patience in waiting for this chapter. Now that things have calmed down with me, I'm sure updates will come quicker.**

**On a different subject, I want to express my gratitude for all the kind, supportive reviews I got after the last author's note I wrote. I got more than 100 reviews in response to everything I wrote, each review more supportive than the last. I was shocked, to say the least, at how many people really enjoyed this story and were willing to defend it. I know this sounds cheesy, but I mean it when I say your words meant the world to me. I've always had doubts about publishing my writing on the internet, so your reassurement had a tremendous impact on me. I can't even express how grateful I am towards each of you who sent me support. **

**Alright before I break down into emotions, here is the next chapter of the Son of Atlas.**

* * *

Chapter 6

_One week later... _

Percy laid wide awake in his tent, unable to fall asleep. In his mind, he thought of all of his experiences during the past week as guardian. His time with the hunters was vastly different than what he expected when he originally agreed to the position during the council meeting. Instead of fighting terrifying monsters during hunting missions, he was stuck doing the hunters's pesky chores. Their painful, annoying pranks only added to Percy's torture, bringing him to the brink of insanity. But he knew he couldn't retaliate. Retaliating meant failing his duties as guardian and ruining his sister's time with her new family. He knew he was better off winning over the acceptance of the hunters peacefully with kindness. Still, an unsettling feeling of revenge and rage come over when he thought of the hunters, especially Myrine.

Disturbed by such thoughts, Percy got up and walked out of the tent to clear his head. It was completely dark outside expect for the faint glow of the moon, but Percy was used to the dark and could see perfectly fine. He walked around quietly, making sure not to disturb the hunters in their sleep. The night air was cold and refreshing, and the grass glowed lightly in the moonlight. The scene was peaceful and reminded Percy of his old home.

After walking for a while, Percy reached the archery range, a place that never failed to calm him down. He pulled out the bow that he always carried on his back and reached for an arrow. Percy set the arrow carefully in place just like he has done thousands of times before and released, relishing as the arrow hit its mark straight in the middle of the target. As Percy continued to hit bull's eye after bull's eye, his mind went completely blank and archery became his only thought.

Meanwhile, Artemis was also walking around, unable to sleep. Thoughts of guilt plagued her mind as she reflected her actions. She was not unaware of what her hunters were doing to Percy, who has done nothing wrong in return. It is true that she herself had not engaged in anything to harm Percy, but she still felt guilty for originally encouraging the hunters to drive him away. Artemis had always stood for justice during council meetings, and what she was allowing was the opposite of justice. With guilt in her heart, she looked up at the night sky and contemplated whether she should allow the hunters to continue to harm Percy.

Familiar sounds of arrows hitting a target shook Artemis out of her thoughts. Following the noise of the arrows, she found Percy at the archery range with a concentrated look on his face. Artemis was amazed as she watched Percy continuously shoot arrows with as much skill and grace as even her. Too focused on shooting arrows, Percy didn't even notice Artemis watching him off to the side until Artemis shot an arrow through one of Percy's and sliced it in two.

Shaken out of his concentration, Percy looked to the source of the arrow and saw Artemis with a stoic expression on her face. She wore a silky night gown that seemed to glow under the moonlight, and it took all of Percy's willpower to not stare. Quickly, Percy ran to her side and bowed before saying, "Lady Artemis, I hope I did not wake you."

Expecting a harsh comment about being up so late, Percy was surprised when Artemis said softly, "No, I was already awake. There has been something on my mind lately."

Percy noticed the troubled expression on her face. "What is it, my lady? How can I help?"

Artemis shook her head. "No, you would only further confuse me."

"Have I done something wrong? If I have, I'm truly sorry-"

"No, you idiot!" She yelled, angered by Percy's attempt to apologize when she was at fault. "It is me who must apologize. Throughout the past week, I have allowed and encouraged my hunters to torture you relentlessly, despite the fact that you have done nothing wrong. I stood by as they continued to sabotage you during your chores. I forgot about justice and let my prejudice get the best of me. The guilt of my actions has weighted on my shoulders for the past week. That is what troubles me."

Percy tried to calm Artemis down. "My lady, you have nothing to apologize for. I know Zues' decision to place me here was a difficult change for you, so it is only natural for you to try to drive me away-"

Not finished with her rant, Artemis cut Percy off again. "And then there's you." She said, pointing a finger into Percy's chest. "You have been nothing but respectful, kind, and polite the past week, basically everything that a male shouldn't be. Why can't you be like every other male and retaliate so that I don't have to feel guilty about harming you? Why do you have to treat me and the hunters with respect even when we've done so many things to you? You've broken everything that I've ever thought about men and I don't know how to act anymore. Why are you so different?"

Artemis finally finished her speech, looking down to the ground in shame. In her eyes, Percy saw how broken and confused she was inside. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Percy asked softly, "Lady Artemis, what happened to you to hate men so much?"

Artemis kept her head down. In her head, she remembered the reason why she had never trusted men. She had never told anyone the reason before because it still pained her to even think about it. She was about to tell Percy to mind his own business and forgot about it, but something in his voice made her feel comfortable sharing. Slowly, she began to say, "A long time ago, when I was only a child goddess, I lived with Apollo and my mother Leto on the island Delos. My brother and I were as close as siblings could be since we only had each other. We would do everything together; nothing would separate us apart. On the day that we both turned eighteen, my father Zeus came down to the island to bring us to Olympus to become full Olympians. My mother shed many tears and we hesitated to go at first, but my mother convinced us to go and not let this opportunity pass us by."

Artemis paused for a bit, and Percy nodded his head encouragingly. "It's okay if you can't finish the rest of the story," Percy said soothingly. "You don't have to tell me."

Artemis shook her head. "No ... it's okay. I might as well finish." She took a shaky breath. "My brother was introduced to the council first. I watched as the Fates deemed him the god of light, healing, poetry, and music with pride. Afterwards, there was a huge party, and Zeus announced that I would join the council the next day. When I asked Apollo if he would come support me, he rolled his eyes and told me he wouldn't miss it for the world. Relieved, I went to bed early knowing that Apollo wouldn't let me down. But when I entered the throne room the next morning, Apollo was nowhere to be seen. The council meeting started without him, and he never showed up. By the end, I was more worried than angry since I thought that Apollo might have been injured or unconscious. As soon as the meeting ended, I rushed out to find him. Using my godly senses, I eventually found him in a house, in bed with a mortal woman. My heart shattered as I realized that Apollo hadn't been in any danger; he had simply found sex more important than attending his sister's introduction into becoming an Olympian. Apollo noticed me, but I just stormed out and didn't let him explain. I haven't been close to him ever since that day, and I forbid myself from ever allowing another male to get close to me again."

Artemis finished, feeling oddly relieved after finally revealing her story. "Maybe, I overreacted, "she added, still feeling a little bit of pain.

Percy shook his head furiously. "No way. Apollo doesn't deserve your attention, much less your forgiveness," Percy said furiously. The thought of someone hurting Artemis's trust like that angered him greatly. "I swear, the next time I see that idiot, I'll kick his ass before personally throwing him into Tartarus."

Artemis laughed a nice, sparking laugh that Percy thought was the most beautiful sound he ever heard. Artemis felt an unfamiliar feeling erupt in her stomach at the thought of someone willing go to such an extent to defend her. "I'd like to see that," Artemis said, still smiling.

Percy and Artemis sat together in comfortable silence, just staring up at the sky. Suddenly, Percy broke the silence. "I never answered you when you asked my why I'm so different."

Artemis nodded encouragingly, curious of Percy's answer. "There was a time, before the Titan War, that I loved and respected both of my parents, including my father," Percy revealed, surprising Artemis greatly. "Atlas symbolized everything that I hoped to be. He was powerful, cunning, and widely respected for his battle plans among the Titans. Atlas expected a lot out of me as his only son, and I tried to impress him in any way I could. My mother, on the other hand, was the kindest person I knew. She always treated me and my sisters with kindness, and I loved her with all my heart. For the longest time, I was fully content with my family and respected all of them. When the Titan War came, my entire family, except my mother, planned to follow Atlas on the side of the Titans. My mother suspected evil in Kronos's heart and refused to fight on his side. When Atlas heard of this, he beat her harshly. Zoë and I found our mother on the ground with bruises all over her face. After she told us what happened, Zoë wanted to find Atlas and kill him for what he did. Knowing that Atlas would destroy her in a fight, I convinced her to calm down and take care of our mother while I handled the situation. I was furious and all respect for my father was lost. I sneaked out and found the gods, determined to make Atlas pay for what he did. In the end, I finally got my revenge and was able to banish him under the sky."

"What happened to your mother? Why is she living under Poseidon's realm now?" Artemis asked, intrigued by Percy's backstory.

Percy replied, "After the war, I went back to see my mother. She had fully recovered from her bruises, but she flinched when she saw me. Although she tried to deny it, I knew that she was afraid of me now. I looked too similar to my father, so she was always reminded of Atlas when she looked at me. Unable to bear to see the broken look in her eyes, I asked Poseidon to look after her for me. He was confused because he always thought I was close to my mother but agreed in the end. From that point on, I vowed to myself that I would never be like my father. I told myself that I would always treat women with respect and never break them like my father did to my mother. I guess that's why I'm so different and never act out against the hunters."

Artemis took his hand and smiled at him in reassurance. Although she made a promise long ago that she wouldn't allow another man to grow close to her, maybe Percy would be an exception.

* * *

**AN: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Their backstories will be really important throughout the story, especially Artemis's. I know nothing in Greek mythology suggests that Apollo betrayed Artemis's trust, but if Disney can make Hercules Hera's son, then I think I can tweak Artemis's life a little bit. That backstory will be further developed, so don't judge Apollo too quickly. Also, I hope you guys don't think that Artemis was out of character in this chapter. I know that Artemis and Percy's friendship seems really rushed, but I didn't want to continue to make Artemis seem so heartless and cold. If you read the Percy Jackson books, you would know that she really values justice and even defended Percy at the council meeting. I think it is realistic that she would feel guilty about encouraging the hunters to torture Percy. **

**Anyway, thanks for your support and I'll see you guys later. **


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